is shocking. It was intended to be. It is also funny, frightening, poignant, and tender. Above all, it is tragic as only real life can be. The novel begins with Dr. Doug Larson, a university professor, writing and delivering to Miss Charlie Johnston, an elementary school teacher, an angry and hurtful letter telling her to pick up her furniture from his house and get out of his life. Doug and Charlie met almost three years earlier when she took a graduate class which he was teaching, and the two have lived with each other--off and on--for the past two and one-half years. Charlie is 25 years of age, beautiful, bright, charming, athletic, competitive, manipulative, sexual, and impulsive. Charlie is also manic-depressive, perhaps with schizophrenic tendencies, and drinks excessively when she is depressed. During her drinking binges, Charlie is quite promiscuous. The moon, the rose in the wine bottle, and the lyrics to Kris Kristofferson's song, "For the Good Times" are key elements to this story. should be read by those who have known love and given their all in an attempt to help the one they love.